I grew up and live in Iowa and have been to every caucus since 1980—I’ve chaired every caucus in my present precinct for over 20 years. The thing about Iowa, for obvious reasons, is that you can get really involved in presidentials and through those years, there have been a handful of them that I have thrown myself into in addition to the local stuff. One of those years was 1988, for Joe Biden. I respected him and, still single no kids, young professional living in downtown Des Moines—walking distance from his campaign headquarters, I threw myself into the race.
Everything you wrote is accurate, but there is one other aspect to Biden: he is a lousy presidential campaigner. Lousy. A lot of Democrats are rightfully worried about Bernie in a general election, but they should be also be worried about Joe—Trump will kill him. It’s more than the speaking before thinking, though that is a part of the problem. It is also in his indecision, his inability to focus on a strategy, his call with Anita Hill, all which have been on display already in this race. He is just not good at this. Great guy; great senator; great VP—and he would make a great president, too. But he cannot run a decent race for president. Maybe it is the years of running a small-state, safe-seat campaign, maybe it’s something else. But, he is unlikely to get the nomination and if he does, he is highly unlikely to beat Trump.
In 1988, he staffed up with rather snooty east-coasters and then he killed his own campaign—even his decision to get out wasn’t done well. He ran a laughably poor caucus campaign in 2008. By 2008, a serious candidate had access to the resources and know-how to at least make a basic organizational effort at running here, if he or she wanted to. He didn’t seem to have the ability to do anything other than try to ride in on his name ID. In many precincts (including mine), he wasn’t viable, which means poor organization and his supporters didn’t know what to do after that happened, which means poor training. If you want to run here, at least lock down the basics.
The guy is just a lousy presidential campaigner. I’m okay with being proven wrong on this, because I would love to have him be president. But, I won’t support him in the primary—particularly with so many good alternatives—and I fear for the party if he is our nominee.
And here is another devastating piece about the lamentable career of Joe Biden, this one from the ever-illuminating Charlie Pierce in his Esquire politics column: https://link.esquire.com/view/5bef5d552ddf9c2d0d43c4599y33y.ch/02b8de35
ReplyDeleteIt takes as its point of departure Biden's execrable [but "collegial"] eulogy for the vile Strom Thurmond.
People are already playing the depressing game: 'What do we do now since we have no one to out-trump Trump???' Biden was a great Vice Prez, and I wouldn't mind him being VP for another eight years. He probably would make a great Prez too, but people aren't getting their hopes up over Biden for the very reason they all believe he cannot contend with Trump (and the Russians) in the campaign and not because they believe Biden would make a bad Prez. Mr. Bernie Sanders is a great man, and probably has the best ideas for running the White House. But Trump and Sanders are both aged, caucasian males and there is not enough contrast there. Plus, I don't think Trump would mind a contest with Sanders. Historically, Sanders lost to Clinton, and Clinton lost to Trump. I'm sure Trump would love to use that history-card on the campaign trail. Mayor Pete Buttigieg would definitely get my vote, and you know Trump would have to defend his past and perhaps future comments against the LGBT community with Mayor Pete in the race. But would such bigotry galvanize Trump's base? But more importantly would such bigotry galvanize the left so that there would be enough liberals voting for Mayor Pete? It's just assumption time now. And right now everyone has got to decide for themselves.
ReplyDeleteIf Mr. Bernie Sanders adopts FDR's goal of a Second Bill of Rights in his campaign promises, I think he would be a very good contender against President Trump...
ReplyDeleteOf course, Bernie Sanders supports the Green New Deal, but I believe nothing would be more politically motivating to the nation's liberal base as promising a Second Bill of Rights.
ReplyDeleteBut how would one frame a 2nd B.O.R.s so it doesn't replace any of the first 27 Amendments? You could write, in the Constitution, an economic 28th Amendment that sounds much like the 1st Amendment in brevity. I think if you add much more to the Constitution, you are eventually going to do away with the social impacts our present Constitution has achieved. But maybe not.
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